clamshell

noun clam·shell \ ˈklam-ˌshel \

|Updated on: 19 Jun 2018

Definition of clamshell

1 : the shell of a clam

2 a : a bucket or grapple (as on a dredge) having two hinged jaws

b : an excavating machine having a clamshell

c : either of a pair of doors (as in an airplane tail) that open out and away from each other

d : a hinged container, case, or cover that opens like the shell of a clam

See clamshell defined for kids

Recent Examples of clamshell from the Web

The producer, Caito Foods, sold watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe and fruit salads in clear, plastic clamshell containers.

— ethan may, Indianapolis Star, "Where recalled melons were sold in Indiana," 15 June 2018
Pompano Beach last year began requiring all city vendors and food providers at city events to avoid putting takeout food in plastic foam clamshells.

— anne geggis, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Companies, municipalities crack down on plastics," 15 June 2018
The melon was sold in plastic clamshell containers at Costco, Jay C, Kroger, Payless Owen’s, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Walgreens, Walmart, and Whole Foods/Amazon.

— Fox News, "Salmonella found in pre-cut melon sickens 60 people, CDC says," 10 June 2018
The products were sold in clear, plastic clamshell contains at Costco, Kroger, Trader Joe’s, Walgreens, Walmart and Whole Foods/Amazon among other places, the release said.

— zachary hansen, ajc, "Georgia among several states affected by salmonella outbreak tied to melons," 9 June 2018
Precog is much larger, though, and looks more like a traditional convertible laptop that can rotate from a clamshell through tent mode and into a tablet.

— mark hachman, PCWorld, "The Asus Project Precog is a pioneering dual-display laptop, due in 2019," 5 June 2018
When the first turbocharged car debuted in 1962, it was not found underneath the clamshell hood of a featherweight European runabout, your BMW 2002 or Saab 99, but from the braintrust of General Motors, flush with cash and willing to try new tech.

— blake z. rong, Popular Mechanics, "The Evolution of the Combustion Engine," 5 June 2018
Racusin gives a go-to classic extra depth by infusing Campari with fresh raspberries (one clamshell of raspberries per liter of Campari) for two weeks before mixing it with Punt e Mes, an Italian vermouth, and some dry sparkling wine.

— natalie b. compton, GQ, "Three New Spritzes For Your Summer Day Drinking Needs," 2 June 2018
Cedar Grove in black and gold, on the first-base bench behind the clamshell backstop.

— SI.com, "Peter King’s Favorite Stories, from SI and The MMQB," 28 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'clamshell.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.